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Chevy Suburban

13468920

Comments

  • xtianknightsxtianknights Member Posts: 25
    Remember 195 stat is when it starts to open for coolant, not when its fully open. You might try a 185 stat so it opens sooner. Its easier to keep an engine cool than to try to cool it down. Also, after a year of coolant being in there, I would replace it and run 60-40 on the coolant (more water) and replace the the radiator cap too.
  • xtianknightsxtianknights Member Posts: 25
    Battery posts tight?
  • luvmysuburbanluvmysuburban Member Posts: 24
    I just bought a 2000 Chevy Suburban LT to replace my 1979. I am having a very similar problem. Overnight or or less time the battery dies. I've tried multiple batteries and been told that the alternator is fine. The second shop I took it to said that the BCM (Body Control Module?) was going bad. They claimed that when I used my key fob to (un)Lock the car doors it would go into "Wake" mode and never snap out. This would drain the battery. We reset the BCM by disconnecting the Com battery terminal and I opted not to used the fob any more. The next morning it was dead again! They also told me that they could not replace the BCM, only dealers with the proper programming tools could. (This was before he took my $80.) I took it into the dealer this morning and he is tracing the drain. He wanted to trickle charge it up overnight and he'd let me know tomorrow. I'll post what they find, otherwise if you have any info..... Share the wealth!

    I just put my 79 in the newspaper today - Like I told my wife, one looks and feels great sitting still, the other looks rough but runs! :)
  • luvmysuburbanluvmysuburban Member Posts: 24
    I believe that it's not really the price of the pump that is driving the cost but the labor involved to fix it. My understanding is that they need to drop the fuel tank in order to fix this and that cost is at least $350. The only reason that I know this is because I have a leak on the top of my fuel tank and will need to get it fixed and they told me that this is what it will cost me just to drop the tank and find the leak. I do have a buddy with a 2000 Burb LT and he had a similar prob to mine and said that the tech recommended that he replace the fuel pump while the tank is off. His total bill was right around $800. Good Luck!
  • luvmysuburbanluvmysuburban Member Posts: 24
    I'm going to side with abbottchapel - I have Michelin LTX M/S. They were on it when I bought my 2000 last month. I've put 1500 miles on it and will buy then again when needed. They are kind of spendy $210/tire (I have the 6 ply) but well worth it for the ride and 70,000 mile warr. See more here:

    http://www.michelinman.com/catalog/tires/MichelinLTXMS.html?tiretype=5&tire=1
  • luvmysuburbanluvmysuburban Member Posts: 24
    Walmart - Dual Screen DVD player that convienently attach to the head rests. Complete with headphone jacks and one can watch a DVD while the other plays a video game. Buy a set of standard RCA jacks and you can hook the DVD player into the hotel TV! Complete with a handy travel bag, all for $238!

    Now all you need is popcorn and Barney... depending on how old the kids are... or was this for your wife? :blush:
  • luvmysuburbanluvmysuburban Member Posts: 24
    As an FYI, Here is a link to the recalls on your 2000 (or any year for that matter) including the Fuel Pump wire Harness. I just looked it up for mine too.

    http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/results.cfm
  • tezmaritezmari Member Posts: 3
    I have this same problem with my '04 2500 - 8.1 burban LT, I've had it for 1 year. The first time this happened less than 500 mi on the odometer, the dealer said it was a defect with the fuel pump at high altitudes. Dealer replaced the fuel pump with a "redesigned" pump that would solve this problem. The second time it happened - same repair - dealer replaced it with one that "addresses high temperatures AND high altitude" - Just had it towed to the dealer yesterday for the same problem - approx 500 miles later - we called Chevy - they report not being aware of this problem, will "research" it and will get back to us! I will let you know what they say. Good luck
  • tezmaritezmari Member Posts: 3
    I had a similar problem,'04 2500 LT except it was my stereo and clock that would keep resetting. after three times in the shop trying to figure it out, the dealer replace my stereo system. no problems since.
  • tezmaritezmari Member Posts: 3
    ('04 2500 LT burban) I haven't heard of the study and the CSPGS dealer has replaced my pump 3x. I'll ask my service rep about it.
  • pauld1pauld1 Member Posts: 1
    Jeff, I'm having the same issue with my '93 and my mechanic is stumped. We're looking at running a test on the instrument cluster.
  • warlock49766warlock49766 Member Posts: 3
    If your driving down the road and take your hand off of the steering wheel and the vehicle continually pulls of to the right all by itself no matter what than you have 1 of 2 problems (or a combination of the both of them).

    1. You could have what is known as a RADIAL PULL,.. this happens when the belts in the tire are not correct within the tire. A quick check would be to take your front 2 tires and swap them left to right and right to left. If your vehicle stops pulling to the right you have found the problem.

    2. The other explaination is your vehicle needs a front end alignment. Your CASTER angle adjustment is off. this could come from hitting the curb with some force or a bad chuck hole. In the alignment process the R/S adjustment is always more positive than the left (usually by 1/2 a degree or so) this is intentionally done so as to compensate for the crown in the road.

    Try the tire swap first and if doesn't cure the problem go to a reliable front end shop and have your alignment at least checked. Caster is a NON-tire wearing angle of adjustment. If your noticing the inside or outside tread of your tires wearing out more than the rest of the tire then that is called the CAMBER angle and it WILL wear out your tires. Normally if one angle changes,.. it will effect all of the angle adjustments ( IE: Camber, Caster & toe -in )
  • arriearrie Member Posts: 312
    One very little known but amazingly excellent tire is NOKIAN. It is a small European company but has made car tires and other rubber products for decades. Their main tire type is a winter tire, which has let them to develop very good grip rubber compounds with excellent wear resistance.

    The best tire for the kind of driving you described in my opinion is Nokian WR. It is an all season tire with just superion grip in wet and snow and of course on dry. Rides really smooth and makes noticeable improvement in car handling.

    I had a set of Nokian NRZi tires in my Crown Victoria and put 35 000 miles on them. The owner after me put another 15 000 miles on them. Not bad for a Z rated tire! These tires had grip like no other tire I have ever seen. For example, I was not able to spin the wheels of my Crown Vic on wet pavement when the original Michelin Symmetry tires on the car would spin really easily but still wore out in 30 000 miles.

    Since there is no Nokian dealer in the area where I live I could buy the tires direct from their importing warehouse in LaVergne, TN. The NRZi tires cost about $110 per tire. Nokian NRV tires that I purchased for my wife's Grand Am were $108.

    My friend purchased Nokian WR tires by my recommendation for his '03 Suburban last winter and he loves them. He lives in Wisconsin so he gets to drive in snow too. They cost $125 a piece.

    I purchased Nokian Vatiiva tires for my Tahoe last fall but did not like them as they made a little bit too much noise. These tires were much better for handling than the Bridgestones that the truck came with. The biggest improvement was in stopping distance, which with Bridgestones can be really long.

    I will buy a set of WR tires for my Tahoe in a couple of months.

    --Arrie--
  • goose914goose914 Member Posts: 1
    i got the same letter from chevy, too, so i took mine to the local dealer. they had never heard of the problem, so they checked it out and found nothing. the most frustrating things are the lack of info the dealer has and the lack of solution stated in the letter by chevy. my pump has a very loud high pitched whine to it....don't know if it's related?????
  • tpalentpalen Member Posts: 3
    I installed a new fuel pump in my 1999 Suburban. After installing and putting the fuel back in the tank (3/4 of a tank) I am getting a reading on the fuel gage of only 1/4 of a tank. Not sure what to do or if this will go away with a top off of the tank.
  • tpalentpalen Member Posts: 3
    Just replaced mine yesterday and the new pump at Auto Zone was $248.00.
  • tpalentpalen Member Posts: 3
    Could be a lose gas cap. try replacing the gas cap and make sure it is tight.
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    Goose,

    I talked w/ my local chevy dealer regarding the letter and they said a recall hasn't been issued yet. The letter was merely to inform owners of the fuel pump/wiring problem and the associated symptoms and that a fix is on the way. Once the solution is available, the recall will be issued.

    My fuel pump makes a very load whining noise and I plan on replacing it when the recall is issued. From what I understand, the tank will need to be dropped to fix the wiring problem, I'm going to see if the dealer will cut me a break on labor if I have them drop a new pump in.
  • luvmysuburbanluvmysuburban Member Posts: 24
    I picked up the burb from the dealer... He isn't sure. I read in another post about a bad radio - Who knows. I decided to juice the battery up all the way and I pulled about 10 fuses, Radio, power seats, heated mirrors, etc - Anything that has larger draw and could be used when vehicle is off. I'm going to put the fuses back in 1 or 2 at a time and monitor when this occurs. I usually can't get more than a day out of the battery so if I put one in and the volt meter is on the high side of 14, I'll assume that isn't the circuit.

    If anyone has seen this problem before, let me know.. Thanks!
  • promersapromersa Member Posts: 1
    Can anyone enlighten me as to the differences in Models LT, LS, LSE, AND SLT?

    Also, What is the performance difference between a low altitude & high altitude Diesel 6.5 engine, if any?
  • baxterdaybaxterday Member Posts: 9
    I have a 99 chevy suburban K1500 I exported to Argentina. I had to install a new motor in the US just before exporting it. The engine started a bad knock, maybe a rod, 500 miles after we were rearended in Atlanta. Started with a slight ticking noise just after the accident, then total failure. I think I'm going to make a claim against the insurance company of the person that rearended us. Now for my question. I live in Buenos Aires and want to install a simple toggle switch to disable the ignition or the coil. Is this possible with the passlock system. Will I cause it to engage and mess the system up? Just found this board and it is great. This is my third Suburban, had a 86 k2500 6.2 diesel and another 99 K1500.
  • baxterdaybaxterday Member Posts: 9
    The difference between the LS and LT is the leather seating. I think the same for the sle and slt in the GMC suburbans. Not familiar with the differences in a low and high altitude diesel.
  • surbguysurbguy Member Posts: 3
    80k miles..

    Having trouble diagnosing this...

    Ignition has been inconsistent, clicking, then not turning over - wiat 5 min, then it's fine again until this morning.... starter problem?

    Also, Both taillights/brakes are out, but it is the whole piece not the bulbs - Is this possible, or is it some sort of electrical problem, also trouble with pass windows, and wipers - Seems like it's all tied together...Please help.
  • baxterdaybaxterday Member Posts: 9
    We had similar problems and it was the battry cables. The positive side on ours is a two cable thing and they were dirty between the two cables. Might also be the battery.
  • subloversublover Member Posts: 1
    hi i have a 2000 suburban LT. I realized that the rear audio controls dont work. I know it used to work. When I plug headphones in and press the power button, nothing happens and the little power light doesnt turn on either.Is there anyway to fix this problem. perhaps a fuse? I still use the factory delco radio but i recently had a subwoofer installed. could that be the problem?
  • baxterdaybaxterday Member Posts: 9
    Check your fuse first, if it is good, suspect the install of the new subwoofer.
  • rperryrperry Member Posts: 1
    has anyone out there had problems w/electrical system? abs/emer brake lights come on while driving, and the a/c light and system goes off and then comes back on after a few minutes. the dealer swears there are no stored codes. when abs/emr a/c light will flash, then it and the a/c goes er brake light comes on, the abs system is inoperative. the amber a/c light flashes, then the a/c light and thea/c goes off for a while. any ideas? its HOT!!
  • baxterdaybaxterday Member Posts: 9
    Sounds like grounding or relay issues to me. Is it possible your battery is going? Have you checked your cables are the connections clean. My mercedes wagon started doing strange things and it was the battery going. Have your battery put through a load test and see how she's working under a full amp load, if it's not up to the task funny things will happen, like you describe.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,142
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  • ddesrocheddesroche Member Posts: 1
    Warlock, have you determined whct the cause of this problem is.
    I and several other s have the same issue.

    Thanks
  • ahightowerahightower Member Posts: 539
    I would like to have the tow hooks installed on my Yukon XL. They are only a $38 option, but were not put on mine. I have 2 wheel drive and suspect I may need to be dragged out of the sand or off a slippery boat ramp one day. My question is, is it easy to install them myself, or do I have to have the dealer do it? Or is it really necessary, since the frame is easily accessed through those small holes in the bumper?
  • baxterdaybaxterday Member Posts: 9
    First, expect to pay more than 38 bucks for them from the dealer. Second, it will depend on your mechanical skills. The install is easy and straight forward, just make sure you use the same bolts the manufacturer would use or they could fail when you need them most.
  • hanayahanaya Member Posts: 2
    We are about to put our 3rd fuel pump in our "96 suburban. It will shut down with no warning, we pull to the side of the road and it starts right back up. No warning lights come on. Dios don't show any problems. We replaced the filter and it happened again. When the other fuel pumps were replaced it was because the truck would not start - the new problem is different than before.Could it be something besides the fuel pump or are GM fuel pumps crap? A friend had a similar problem with their jeep and it was a sensor.
  • hanayahanaya Member Posts: 2
    We didn't get a letter regarding the fuel pump but we are having trouble. Does the letter address stalling /engine shutdown. Please see #294 for our problems.
  • trishlangtrishlang Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 Suburban and have had this problem 3 times this year. FIrst we disconnected the hood light (comes on when you raise the hood), that was advice of dealer. Then it happened again and thought I finally tracked it to the drivers power seat. Disconnected that fuse and it ran perfectly for 2 months. It is dead again. I am considering disconnecting the battery between uses.
  • hooniorhoonior Member Posts: 1
    J2wice, I hope you found out what was going on with your ride, if so, please share the answer.... I'm having a similar problem with my 91 suburban.

    I can start the thing sometimes, but it floods pretty bad. Sometimes when it won't start, the ignitions fires, but the injectors won't. Then, just to make things confusing, the Injectors fire, but then the ignition won't...... We replaced the computer, the fuel pump, the fuel pressure regulator, and some fuses.... Anyone out there know of any ideas? :confuse:
  • onlymoneyonlymoney Member Posts: 2
    I have an 05 charcoal and have the same problem. I put the front deflector on the hood to avoid all the paint coming off. The dealer acted like it was normal but, in checking older suburbans, I haven't seen this problem. Behind the rear wheels is also coming off like crazy. I will be taking it back to have it fixed. Unfortunately they must have either had a paint that was bad or something getting on the primer prior to painting. Other than that I love our burb.

    :(
  • xtianknightsxtianknights Member Posts: 25
    Is this the dreaded intake leak? Or? Here are some pictures.

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    Thanks guys for the help =)
  • docgatordocgator Member Posts: 2
    Hey sublover....I have a '04 Z71 and just had it replaced on warranty and all my dealership said was that they have had problems with it. The one thing I've noticed even with the replacement is that when it's running even a/c it's really warm to the touch. Don't know if that has anything to do ith it tough.
  • docgatordocgator Member Posts: 2
    I have had my '04 Z71 in for a rattle that seems to be worse the more people (weight) we have in the burb and when you apply the brake it goes away. The dealership thought it was the brake cable and greased the areas it passes through. That didn't do it. Still there......anyone else have this?
  • ronaldgdurhamronaldgdurham Member Posts: 5
    I was driving back from Vegas yesterday. the electrical system "blinked"/"flashed" but all seemed fine. Then about 30 miles later the AC fan, and cruise control became in operative. Also the anti-lock ABS dash light came on. Everything seems to work except for the AC and cruise. I stopped and checked every single fuse at the side of the dash, not just the ones it could be. I also checked every single fuse under the hood in the "relay center" box. No bad fuse. I checked the battery connections and water level. I visually inspected under the dash by the blower motor and every place else under the hood and dash.

    No Luck.

    Any ideas.

    Dealer says maybe ECM or something. $80 to find out.
  • ronaldgdurhamronaldgdurham Member Posts: 5
    I was driving back from Vegas yesterday. The electrical system "blinked"/"flashed" but all seemed fine. Then about 30 miles later the AC fan, and cruise control became in operative. Also the anti-lock ABS dash light came on. Everything seems to work except for the AC and cruise. I stopped and checked every single fuse at the side of the dash, not just the ones it could be. I also checked every single fuse under the hood in the "relay center" box. No bad fuse. I checked the battery connections and water level. I visually inspected under the dash by the blower motor and every place else under the hood and dash. No Luck.

    Any ideas?

    Dealer says maybe ECM or something. $80 to find out and then...
  • baxterdaybaxterday Member Posts: 9
    Are you losing coolent? Is that oil and are you overheating
  • xtianknightsxtianknights Member Posts: 25
    No overheating. I did loose oil AND coolant. Dealer confimed today its the intake manifold gasket! ARGGGG..$757 out-the-door (3 free oil changes) current oil change and replacing some valve also. :cry:
  • xtianknightsxtianknights Member Posts: 25
    Try disconnecting the NEG side of battery for 15 minutes and see if it resets its self :confuse:
  • ronaldgdurhamronaldgdurham Member Posts: 5
    I was driving back from Vegas yesterday. The electrical system "blinked"/"flashed" but all seemed fine. Then about 30 miles later the AC fan, and cruise control became in operative. Also the anti-lock ABS dash light came on. Everything seems to work except for the AC and cruise. I stopped and checked every single fuse at the side of the dash, not just the ones it could be. I also checked every single fuse under the hood in the "relay center" box. No bad fuse. I checked the battery connections and water level. I visually inspected under the dash by the blower motor and every place else under the hood and dash. No Luck.

    Any ideas?

    Dealer says maybe ECM or something. $80 to find out and then...
  • rboyer1rboyer1 Member Posts: 4
    My father has a 1997 Suburban with the 454 engine. It has around 150,000 miles and is in very good, well maintained condition. About 6 months ago, he was driving along at about 40 mph and the engine quit. He lost ALL power (even the clock had to be reset). It was as if someone disconnected the battery momentarily. He coasted to the side of the road, sat briefly, then tried a restart. The truck restarted and ran just fine, taking him home uneventfully. The next day, I went over his house to see what I could find. I wiggle tested everything. All I noticed was a moderately loose battery ground cable at the engine block. I gave it a good tightening, and everything was fine - until yesterday. I got a SOS call from ol' dad. He was parked at a friend's house and his truck wouldn't start. Same problem. His friend was about to give him a ride home, they were unloading stuff from the Sub into his friend's van when suddenly the power came back on (Dad had the tailgate down and the dome lights magically lit). He put the key in the ignition and it started right up. They put the stuff back into the Suburban and dad attempted to go home. He got about 30 feet and it died again with a total power outage. When I arrived on the scene about a 1/2 hr. later, of course everything was normal. I put the key in the ignition, and it started right up. Again, I gave it a thorough wiggle test. It made no difference, I noticed no intermittent anything. I followed dad home, and it was an uneventful trip. I'm at a loss as to what's wrong, and now he's afraid to drive it anywhere for fear of being stranded - can't say as I blame him. Has anyone ever experienced something like this? Where should I look?
  • xtianknightsxtianknights Member Posts: 25
    I see you wiggled everything. Did you look at the battery or cables? See any green after you remove some of the plastic? Maybe the battery cables are shot. This is what I would try:
    Visually check the battery for cracks near the posts.
    Check the cable for "green" corrosion.
    Check to see if the battery posts have come loose. If it is a side posts, they are known for this and I have a part to fix it if this is the case ($3 shipped)
    Check all the fuses by removing them. Make sure one of them isn't bad.
    Go to AutoZone (parts store) and have them test the alternator and battery while they are at it.
  • 2005burb2005burb Member Posts: 3
    My charcoal '05 hood was re-painted by the dealer at no cost. There are chips on my door but they claim its from door dings. My hood was faded and almost appeared to have over-spray on it. Since re-painting and installing a wind deflector I have noticed no further fading or chipping to the hood. Take yours to another dealer.
  • onlymoneyonlymoney Member Posts: 2
    Thanks, that is my plan.
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